Can Simple Rules Explain Reality? Dr. Stephen Wolfram, DemystifySci #343

Stephen Wolfram is a physicists, mathematician, and programmer
who believes he has discovered the computational rules that
organize the universe at the finest grain. These rules are not
physical rules like the equations of state or Maxwell’s
equations. According to Wolfram, these are rules that govern how
the universe evolves and operates at a level at least one step
down below the reality that we inhabit.





His computational principles are inspired by the results observed
in cellular automata systems, which show that it’s possible to
take a very simple system, with very simple rules, and end up at
complex patterns that often look organic and always look far more
intricate than the black and white squares that the game started
with.





We sit down with him for a conversation about the platonic
endeavor that he has undertaken, where to draw the line between
lived experience and the computational universe, the limits of
physics, and the value of purpose and the source of
consciousness. MAKE HISTORY WITH US THIS
SUMMER:https://demystifysci.com/demysticon-2025PATREON
https://www.patreon.com/c/demystifysciPARADIGM
DRIFThttps://demystifysci.com/paradigm-drift-show00:00
Go!00:02:07 Entropy and Computational Irreducibility00:09:45
Understanding Observers in Physics00:15:12 The Concept of Time as
Computation00:23:00 Neural Networks and Determinism00:30:03
Understanding Space and Its Nature00:39:24 Exploring the Nature
of Emergence and Reality00:41:44 Perception and Computational
Limitations of Human Minds00:46:18 The Complexity of Existence
and Consciousness00:51:58 The Universe's Computation versus Human
Understanding00:55:42 Conceptualizing Reality Beyond Physical
Actors01:01:11 Computational Irreducibility in Biological
Systems01:09:49 The Nature of Experience in Humans and
Machines01:14:25 Internal Experiences and the Connection to
Purpose01:18:07 Exploration of Purpose in Life and AI01:26:00 The
Nature of Human Existence and Purpose01:35:19 Searching for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Understanding Reality01:41:02
Communication Across Species02:01:13 Emergence of Simple Rules in
Physics02:14:47 Observers and the Universe02:19:14 The Role of
Mass and Experience02:24:02 Self-Reproduction and
Evolution02:30:50 Complexity and Natural Selection02:37:07
Foundations of Medicine02:40:45 Application of Physics Concepts
in Other Fields02:49:44 Limits and Possibilities of Travel
Through Space02:53:11 Future of Human Civilization and
Technology02:55:05 Science and Pre-Existing Questions about the
Universe02:58:05 The Intersection of Mathematics and Physical
Reality#physics, #computationalphysics, #consciousness,
#freewill, #determinism, #spaceexploration, #evolution, #purpose,
#futureofhumanity, #complexsystems , #machinelearning,
#philosophypodcast , #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcast ABOUS US:
Anastasia completed her PhD studying bioelectricity at Columbia
University. When not talking to brilliant people or making
movies, she spends her time painting, reading, and guiding
backcountry excursions. Shilo also did his PhD at Columbia
studying the elastic properties of molecular water. When he's not
in the film studio, he's exploring sound in music. They are both
freelance professors at various universities. PATREON: get
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